IGOR PLITSYN
The Tale of the Golden Cockerel
(1980, rev.-1988)
Text: Aleksandr Pushkin
Mezzo-soprano, Baritone; SATB
Instrumentation: fl(pic)/tpt/hp.pf/timp.per/bguit
Mukhtar Melikov, baritone
Natalia Golovnya, soprano
Igor Plitsyn, conductor
Azerbaijan State Choral Cappella
Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Ensemble
Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall, Baku
15 May 1989
Live recording
Sung in Russian
I. Somewhere in a secret kingdom
II. Came he with a tricky number
III. Quietly runs year after year
IV. Eight days passed without roar
V. Troops are marching day and night
VI. So at length Dadon decided
VII. Tale is lie but there’s a hint!
V. Troops are marching day and night
Troops are marching day and night;
All the men are deadly tired.
Neither battlefield, camp ground,
Nor a hill or burial mound
Had encountered Tsar Dadon.
"What's the miracle?" – looks he on.
Week had passed of trip almighty,
Tsar brought troops to highland country.
There, amidst sky-touching peaks
Stands a silky tent on sticks.
Valley lays in deep, fine silence
No sound over mountains
In the narrow canyon
Murdered crowds sees Dadon.
Near tent he sees two bodies
His two sons without clothes,
No armors, helmetless
Swords run through each others' chests,
Cold and breathless.
Their horses
Wander lose - free from remorses
In the crushed and blood-stained grass.
By the narrow mountain pass
Tsar gave weep:
Woe is me!
They both are beaten
Both of proud falcons my -
Nothing else I want but die!"
All the army mourned and grieved
Heavy echo was received
From the mountains before.
Suddenly the silky door
Of the tent was quickly opened
And Shemakha Queen was gotten --
Stunning beauty, like the dawn
Quietly stepped to meet Dadon.
Like the owl in the morning
Silenced Tsar not feeling warning
He forgot death of his sons
At the sight of Queen at once.
She gave smile as rose in bloom
To Dadon with little bow
Took with tenderness his hand
And led him inside the tent.
There she sat him at the table,
Feasted him with viands of fable,
Bedded brocade bed for rest
Tsar got in the homey nest.
After, for a week exactly,
Captured by her charm directly,
Caught in network, caught in trap,
Stayed Dadon within her lap.